How Kentucky and Chattanooga match up — with a game prediction
How the Kentucky Wildcats (2-0, 1-0 SEC) and Chattanooga Mocs (1-1, 0-0 Southern Conference) match up at each position — with a game prediction:
Quarterbacks
▪ In his first two games as Kentucky’s starter, Will Levis (28-of-44 passing for 546 yards with five touchdown throws and two interceptions) has played at a high level. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Penn State transfer is 25th in the FBS in passing yards per game (273 yards). Both interceptions thrown by Levis have come on passes over the middle that were thrown exceptionally hard and were slightly behind the intended receivers. UK offensive coordinator Liam Coen says the strong-armed Levis needs to learn to take some velocity off on certain throws. “When your arm is so live, sometimes you’ve got to slow it down a little bit,” Coen says.
▪ Chattanooga has already used two different starting QBs. In last week’s 20-0 win at North Alabama, Coach Rusty Wright went with Cole Copeland, a 6-4, 196-pound junior from Rhyne Howard’s high school alma mater, Bradley Central in Cleveland, Tenn. In the victory, Copeland completed 10 of 21 passes for 98 yards with two interceptions. Ex-Old Dominion QB Drayton Arnold started the Mocs’ opener, a 30-20 loss to Austin Peay. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior completed 11 of 26 passes for 147 yards with a TD pass and two picks. This week’s Mocs’ depth chart has Copeland OR Arnold as starting QB.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Running backs
▪ Kentucky’s Christopher Rodriguez is second in the FBS in rushing yards a game, averaging 165.5. The 5-11, 224-pound redshirt junior had a monster performance in UK’s 35-28 SEC East victory over Missouri last week. Rodriguez ran for 198 yards and 2 TDs on 27 carries and also caught a 5-yard touchdown pass. However, the McDonough, Ga., product twice fumbled the ball while at the cusp of the Missouri end zone, only one of which UK recovered. Change-of-pace back Kavosiey Smoke ran for 39 yards on eight carries vs. Mizzou.
▪ Chattanooga’s one-two punch of Ailym Ford and Tyrell Price carried the Mocs’ offense in the win at North Alabama. A 5-9, 210-pound sophomore, Ford ran 22 times for 111 yards and a TD. Price, a 5-11, 225-pound senior, carried the ball 14 times for 68 yards.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Wide receivers
▪ Wan’Dale Robinson has been exactly the type of dynamic playmaker Kentucky lacked a season ago. In the win over Missouri, the 5-10, 183-pound transfer from Nebraska had five catches for 101 yards and carried the ball three times for 73 yards. The ex-Western Hills High School star is 15th in the FBS in receiving yards a game (average of 113).
▪ Reginald Henderson was Chattanooga’s top receiver last season and that has carried over into the fall. Through two games, the 6-4, 206-pound senior, a Middle Tennessee State transfer, has caught eight passes for 91 yards and a TD.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Tight ends
▪ Kentucky super-senior Justin Rigg (two catches, 33 yards this season) had a clutch 28-yard reception in the win over Missouri. Redshirt freshman Izayah Cummings (two catches, 22 yards) has had one reception in each UK game.
▪ A 6-4, 250-pound, third-year freshman, Keyshawn Toney is a transfer from South Carolina. The Williston, S.C., product caught one pass for 13 yards in the win at North Alabama.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Offensive linemen
▪ Kentucky right guard Eli Cox scored the game-winning touchdown in last week’s victory over Missouri. The West Jessamine product recovered a Christopher Rodriguez fumble in the end zone to give the Cats a 35-28 lead. The 6-4, 301-pound redshirt sophomore also showed overall improvement in his second career start. “Eli did some good things,” UK Coach Mark Stoops said. “He played better in this game. More consistent.”
▪ Left guard Cole Strange leads a veteran Chattanooga offensive front that returned all five starters from last season and entered 2021 with a cumulative 126 career starts. A 6-6, 301-pound super-senior, Strange was a preseason FCS Second Team All-America selection by Phil Steele.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Defensive linemen
▪ The Kentucky defensive front had a difficult time making an impact against Missouri’s short-passing attack. However, senior nose guard Marquan McCall tackled Mizzou running back Tyler Badie for a timely, 3-yard loss that stalled a Tigers’ drive in the fourth quarter.
▪ Chattanooga end Devonnsha Maxwell was a wrecking ball in the fourth quarter of the Mocs’ victory at North Alabama. The 6-2, 296-pound junior from Valdosta, Ga., had 3.5 sacks in the final quarter. For his career, Maxwell now has 21 sacks.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Linebackers
▪ The first career interception by MLB Jacquez Jones set up a Kentucky touchdown in the victory over Missouri. A 6-foot, 235-pound transfer from Mississippi, Jones also had seven tackles and two pass breakups. WLB DeAndre Square had five tackles, a breakup and a QB hurry vs. Mizzou. OLB/rush end J.J. Weaver recorded two of UK’s three tackles for loss in the game, including a crucial sack that foiled Missouri’s final possession.
▪ Chattanooga MLB Kam Jones began his college career at Louisville. The 6-foot, 220-pound junior had five tackles in the win at North Alabama and seven in the season-opening loss to Austin Peay. WLB Ty Boeck had a team-high eight tackles at North Alabama. SLB Jay Person can be disruptive; he had eight tackles, a sack and forced two fumbles vs. Austin Peay.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Defensive backs
▪ Kentucky senior strong safety Tyrell Ajian had a team-high eight tackles vs. Missouri. Super-senior nickel back Davonte Robinson made five stops vs. Mizzou. With 11 tackles on the season, the Henry Clay product is in a five-way tie — that includes Ajian and free safety Yusuf Corker — for the UK team lead in tackles. Sophomore cornerback Carrington Valentine preserved Kentucky’s win over Missouri by breaking up a Connor Bazelak pass on the Tigers’ final offensive play.
▪ Chattanooga strong safety Brandon Dowdell is a ball hawk. The 5-9, 195-pound senior intercepted two Austin Peay passes in the season opener. He also returned a pick 22 yards vs. North Alabama. A product of Cordele, Ga., Dowdell now has nine career interceptions. Senior free safety Jerrell Lawson had a 38-yard, pick-six at North Alabama.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Special teams
▪ UK place-kicker Matt Ruffolo had a potentially, game-clinching 37-yard field goal blocked vs. Missouri. Mark Stoops says the fault was with Kentucky’s blockers, not Ruffolo. “With the way (Missouri) came through (the line of scrimmage), really it had no chance,” Stoops said of the field-goal attempt. Battling a back injury, new Kentucky punter Wilson Berry is off to a slow start, averaging only 37 yards on four kicks.
▪ Chattanooga place-kicker Aaron Sears booted field goals of 26 and 38 yards in the victory at North Alabama. Sears is 4-of-5 this season on extra points. The Mocs have been using two punters: Jason Pierce is averaging 40.1 yards on eight kicks; Gabe Boring 45.3 on 6.
Advantage: Even.
Prediction
Kentucky 49, Chattanooga 10.
